Agriculture's Big 6 seed and chemical companies are pretty busy these days sorting through the details of mergers and acquisitions and keeping an eye on their mega competitors. The club, which includes BASF, Bayer, DuPont, Dow, Monsanto and Syngenta, are deep into their post commodity boom strategies, with a key focus on efficiency and shareholder... Read More
Category: Western Canada
The federal government has issued an extension for sharing views on what Canada's first national food policy should look like. The online survey and comment period, which was originally slated to end on July 27, has been extended to August 31. (Find the survey here.) "A strong response from across the country has prompted Agriculture... Read More
With an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 cattle left behind in areas evacuated due to wildfires in B.C.'s central and southern interior, the Canadian Cattlemen's Association says it has asked the federal government for a quick response to help affected ranchers. "As an initial start, the CCA is requesting the federal government provide a tax deferral... Read More
"What would happen if we bumped nitrogen rates up by 10 percent? Or vice versa? Should we apply boron? What about foliar product XYZ?..." As a grower, you're constantly considering different ideas on to get the best return on investment in a given crop, but with all the variables in farming, it's often difficult to... Read More
If you were looking for the the July 1 USDA cattle on feed report to shock the market to the higher side, it did not deliver. Overall, cattle on feed in the United States were up 4 percent compared to a year ago, with heifers and heifer calves on feed up 11 percent compared to... Read More
The painted lady caterpillar, also known as the thistle caterpillar, is typically something pulse growers in Western Canada have seen as a beneficial insect. This is because it feeds on Canada thistle. However, as seen in 2017, the painted lady caterpillar also likes to chew on soybeans, causing leaf damage and potential yield losses. In... Read More
We’re heading into the apex of summer weather (and the volatility that can come with it). It’s corn pollination and soybean pod-setting season, while combines are starting to run on the earliest seeded pulses and cereals in the U.S. and even parts of Canada. More than anything, the market is mostly trading rain clouds and... Read More
Dairy Farmers of Canada's new president certainly has his work cut out for him. Pierre Lampron, a 51-year-old organic dairy producer from St. Boniface, Quebec, was elected at DFC's annual general meeting in Edmonton on Wednesday, replacing Wally Smith who served his maximum three terms dating back to July 2011. Lampron took some time to... Read More
Italy's government signed a decree on Thursday requiring packages of pasta sold in the country include country of origin labels. Italy is one of the largest markets for Canadian durum, importing around 1.2 million tonnes in 2015-16, according to Canadian Grain Commission figures. "We are putting Italy in the vanguard of Europe when it comes... Read More
It’s hard to find a farmer these days who doesn’t see some of the benefits cover crops can bring to their operation. From reduced soil erosion to improved soil structure, nutrient recycling, moisture retention and much more – the list of benefits is long and impressive. But how much is too much? Where and when... Read More